Purace National Park and volcano

I left San Agustin and headed out towards the Purace volcano through the beautiful Purace National Park.

Please don't send me any emails or comments as I know it should be spelt with an accent on the 'e' but I don't know how to do it it on this ( Apple and shit computer) device. But thank you to all those loyal followers who have often pointed out my misspellings and wrong mileages or altitudes. Please don't stop as I would prefer to be corrected than to publish an inaccuracy.

There was the inevitable military checkpoint. The area used to be a guerrilla stronghold controlled by FARC but the area is considered safe now.

The trucks were given a serious search but cars and motorbikes got through more easily as there are fewer places for people to hide. It was guerrillas and guns that they were looking for...not drugs.

The whole area is at high altitude and we caught glimpses of the flora through the low cloud.

And there were some unusual plants growing up on the plateau.

And some deep valleys cutting into the hills and several warm springs.

And of course waterfalls plunging down the steep sides of the valleys.

A waterfall and a warm spa in the foreground.

The start of the trek was some way up another track but after a two hour bumpy bus ride over unmade roads, the bus dropped us off as near as it could to the start. We were going to trek up to the summit of Colombia's highest and most active volcano.

It was a busy little corner in the middle of no where with the local milk lorry picking up milk in churns from the local farmers.

 After we had paid our treks fees, entrance fee and paid for a guide we were away past the last cabins that formed part of the visitor centre. The path is relatively clear but the park rules require that you have a guide. It is also forbidden to leave the track as parts of the area are mined, left over from the time when this was a FARC stronghold and this was a front line in the fight between the government and rebel forces.

 A selfie of me at the start.

 Some red hot pokers growing in the wild.

 The forecast wasn't good but we went anyway and the weather closed in and soon it was cold, drizzle and windy.

 The military road off in the distance glimpsed between clouds as they were blown over a col.

 Some of the flora unique to this area.

 Amy and one of our two guides, named Negro, whose job it was to chase cattle off the path to leave it clear for us.

 A lake at a col at 3,305m with more altitude to go.

 A military radio mast nearly lost in the cloud and by now it was raining, temperatures had dropped to 2C and there were 40 - 45mph winds...it wasn't a fun walk.

 Me at the top, and elevation figures differ depend on which source you check but it is between 4,650m and 4,760m

 Another shot of Amy at the summit but the picture doesn't really convey the appealing conditions.

 There is a walk around the summit, the crater is about 1km in diameter but there was nothing to see as the weather was so poor. Occasionally we caught a whiff of sulphur but the wind was so strong that the clouds of sulphur that escape from the vent below us were quickly whisked away. We spent little time at the summit and made our way back down the mountain as fast as we could.